Defra announces the publication of Food Transport Indicator Statistics
• Three out of the four indicators have increased substantially in 2006 which implies an increase in the external impacts of food transport. The indicators show increases in urban congestion and effects on climate change but not in damage to road infrastructure.
• Air food kilometres rose faster in 2006 than preceding years.
• UK urban food kilometres rose by 7 per cent in 2006 driven by a 9 per cent increase in UK car shopping. This follows a similar increase in urban food kilometres in 2005.
• HGV food kilometres declined by 3 per cent in 2006.
• CO2 from overseas and UK transport of food for UK consumption increased by 5 per cent in 2006 primarily due to the increase in air kilometres. Car shopping has also contributed.
Jeff Rooker, Minister for Sustainable Food and Farming, and Animal said:
“The statistics released today will help to inform our view on the impact of food transportation. However, transportation is just one element in the food production chain. Food miles alone are an incomplete way of judging whether the food we eat is sustainable.
“The impact of the environment is complex and variable depending on a number of factors other than transportation including, production methods, sourcing, degrees of processing and packaging. Therefore, it is important to consider the relationship between the distance travelled by food and the overall impact on the environment of how food is produced.
“In addition these statistics will help to monitor the impact of the Food Industry Sustainability Strategy (FISS), published in April 2006, which aims to improve the food industry’s environmental, social and economic performance by encouraging the widespread adoption of best practice by the industry. For food transportation the FISS challenges the industry to reduce the social and environmental costs of domestic food transport by the industry itself by 20% by 2012.”